Sanitary drinking glass cleaner



May 31, 1949. BUNCH 2,471,721

SANITARY DRINKING GLASS CLEANER Filed Feb. 27, 1945 v 3 Sheets-Sheet l :MHHIIIHIHHHHHI lllllllHn hire [or m A 250M: MMBU'VCH May 31, 1949. F. w. BUNCH 7 SANITARY DRINKING GLASS CLEANER Filed Feb. 2'7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' E le- I A m 51/ 3 6 Mow F. W. BUNCH SANITARY DRINKING GLASS CLEANER May 31, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1945 B .M M M. m E

B) and W W 7 I. w H ltorneys Patented May 31, 1949 ZAFLYZI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANITARY DRINKING GLASS CLEANER both of Eau Claire, Wis.

Application February 27, 1945, Serial No. 579,910

21 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an appliance for restaurants, soda fountains and similar public places, and has for its principal object to provide efiicient and convenient means for washing and sterilizing eating and drinking utensils to prevent the spread of disease through the common use of such utensils.

Another object of this invention is to selectively spray a single glass or similar receptacle or utensil inside and outside with a sterilizing agent and with a clear rinse fluid to remove all traces of prior use and to reduce the bacterial count.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compact glass or bottle washing device that will wash and rinse a glass in a single automatic operation, responsive to the physical positioning of the glass in the device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a glass or receptacle washin and rinsing spray apparatus that will function automatically to perform the successive washing and rinsing operations, responsive to movement of the spray unit.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an efiicient bottle or glass washing apparatus or device that may be easily installed for use on a bar or soda fountain, in view of the general. public, whereby a glass may be conveniently cleaned and sterilized by an operator without leaving his working zone and Without injuring his hands with hot Water or sterilizing fluid.

Another object of this invention resides in the incorporation of a disinfecting fiuid and natural rinse fluid in the same apparatus, which are selectively sprayed on a glass b means of a common pressurized spray, So. that successive operations result in a clean and germ-free glass.

A meritorious feature of this invention resides in the provision of a housing, having fluid inlet conduits and a spray unit mounted on the housing in potential communication with the inlet condisposed in the housing and for discharging the disinfecting fluid onto the receptacle.

Another object of this invention to be specifically herein enumerated resides in the provision of a novel and compact device forwashin and sterilizing a receptacle in one operation, the device being reliable and durable in operation and economical to manufacture.

These and ancillary objects and other meritorious features are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout and wherein a preferred embodiment of this invention is set forth, by way of illustration only, the numeral It generally designates this invention, which comprises a casing or housing l2 supported by legs i l and I6. The terminals of the legs may be provided with cushion or vacuum cup feet It to support the casing on any suitable base or horizontal support in an immovabIe manner.

A piston 2i] is slidably mounted within a cylinder 22 between the end walls 24 and 25, and divides the cylinder into two separate chambers 28 and 35. The chamber 28 serves as a high pressure chamber, while the chamber til functions as a low pressure chamber, for a purpose to be later described. A drain and relief valve 32 extends from the high pressure chamber 28 through the end Wall 24 and a similar relief or cock valve 34 is disposed through the end wall 26 in communication with the chamber 30 for draining fluid therefrom.

Offset from the chamber 30 is a disinfectant receptacle or cup 36, which is in communication with the chamber 3t! through a port 38. A manual valve ll) having an extending handle d2 controls the communication between th receptacle and the chamber, a resilient member 44 being received on the valve stem for normally biasing the valve into a closed placement, closing off the communication between the receptacle and the chamber.

A passage 46 is vertically disposed in the end wall 26 of the casing and extends upwardly through a top block 45. An orifice 48 formed between the port 38 and the chamber 30 communicates the passage with the chamber.

The passage it angularly extends in a horizontal plane, as at 50, through the top block. A vertical passage 52 communicates with the passage 50 andis controlled by a manually operated cock 3 valve or the like 54, which is actuated by a hand lever 55, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings. A vertical passage 56; formed in the block t extends from the horizontal passage 50 and leads into a horizontal bore 58. The bore or passage 58 is adapted toreceive at one end an inlet conduit or pipe 60, whereby fluid may be conveyed from a suitable supply source. not shown. The horizontal bore or passage 58 is in, lateral communication with a centrally disposed chamber 62 and terminates in a restricted valve seat 60. A valve 66, having longitudinal'side ribs 68.. is normally seated in the valve seat 64; the stem of thevalve being suitably formed atone endv to accommodate a stop plate or the like 65. A spring is received around the stem. fornormally biasing the valve in the valve seat. Extending into the chamber from the valve is an operating boss. I0 which serves to unseatthe Valve and to allow .fiuid from the inlet or conduit 60. to enter the chamber, as will be described.

Similarly formed in horizontal alignment with the horizontal bore 58 is a horizontalbore or passage I2- terminating ina valve seat I4, adja- A valve is nor- 2 cent the mixing chamber 0 2. mally biased or ur edin engagement in said seat by a spring I8, received around the extending stem thereof in abutting engagement with av stop platel'fi. An, operating. stem or boss 80 extends inwardly into. th mixing, chamber from the valve l0 and an inlet conduit or pipe 82 is connected to the opposite, end of the-horizontal pash Communicating in lateral, fashion with the horizontal bore or passageis. avertical passage tjl which is controlled. by'a cock valve 86 or the like through; the medium of a handle or lever 8;I

disposed on the exterior of the housing. An informed in the-passage adjacent the mixing chamber. A spider 96 having .circumferentially' disposed vertical, openings 91 formed in the sides thereof is received on a valve stem 98 which depends into the passage. and: extends through a plate I00, the extending. end of th stem being suitably threaded andhaving received thereon a; stop. nut or the like I02. Suitable apertures I041 are formed in the plate I00 on either side of the stem 98:. A resilient element, such as a compression spri or the like I06 is received around the. valve. stem, and serves to bias or urge the valve 94 i-romits seat when there is no fluid pressure in the. mixing chamber 02, so that any fluid therein may be drained through the openings. I104 into th chamber 90.

tube III} protrudes into the mixing chamber 62. and is interposed between the inwardly directed operating bosses of the valves. A connection II is received on the tube above the ball socket H2 and. accommodates diverging spray: arms H0, H8 and I-20'. The spray-arms or pipes are disposed apart equidistantly and are turned up vertically to terminate slightly above the upper end ot the tube; I101.- Downwardly struck spray perforations I22" are provided in the upper ends of th arms; to direct, the spray toward the tube. Discharging apertures I29 are disposed in the tube just below the. cushioning cup for spraying the liquid outwardly from the tube.

Annular bands I 30 are received on the outside of the, armsand are secured thereto by any suitable securing means. The bands serve to retain adrum I32 around the arms and around the inner vertical tube so that fluid is retained adjacent the receptacle and is prevented from spraying the surrounding area. Angle irons I60 are seated on the upper ends of the arms H0. H8 and I20 and .serve'a, dual function in that they close off the arms andusupport the. upper annular band, which is secured thereto by a conventional bolt assem y I5 In. operation, th valve 86 is turned through the medium of the extending lever into an. open position in:v the passage and the valve 54 is closed. Thus, communicationjsestablished between the inlet, from the. conduiti'82, and the fluid enters throughthe passagettintothe chamber 28. The

pressure created by the fluid moves the piston relative tothe lovsz 'iiressure, chamber and, at the same time, thespray'unit is oscillated so that the lever end contacts the operating boss I0 of the valve, 66 and'moves thevalve out of the valve seat '64. Disinfectant may be admitted into the low I off and communication is established between the passage or inlet 12 advancing the clear rinse fluid from the conduit through to the arms and the tube for rinsingthe receptacle or glass.

The tube I I0 is provided with opposed apertures I4 2, which allows the fluid from the inlets and from the disi-neffectlng or low pressure chamber to enter the tube and through the connection be conveyed to the arms and on to the glass or receptacle.

A fterthe disinfecting and rinsing operations are selectively performed through the selective positioning of the spray unit, the tube 0' is vertically placed in the mixing chamber. The valve 94. is thenbiased. upwardly, due to the lack of fluid pressure in: they mixing chamber, and any fluid remaining in the. tube or arms is allowed to drain throug the opening 92: and the openings I04 into the discharge chamber- 90, from which it may be drained by means ,oi fla suitable drain or relief valve- To; refill the low pressure chamber, the valve 8.5. isclosed andthe v-a1ve 54 is opened, allowing the fluid from3 the condult 6,0- to enter through the horizontal passagethrough the; vertical passage 52 into the low pressure chamber. The piston; is then movedint thehigh pressure chamber and theapparatus readyfor successive use.

An indicating. device M lextends through the W11 d cemmi sa cone-shaped ad M having a stem I which is integrally formed with a disk end I48 inserted in the chamber. A spring the housing. This indicates that the low pressure chamber 30 is empty and must be refilled, as noted above.

Thus, it can be seen that the fluid pressure in the high pressure chamber 28 is maintained the same as that in the inlet conduit 82 from a main supply source, the pressure in the chamber operating against the piston and creating an equal pressure in the low pressure chamber to feed the contents thereof through the passage 46 into the common feeding chamber, where it is intermixed with the fluid coming through the inlet conduit 60. Then, by reversing the pressure toward arrow 12, the valve 66 will seat itself, closing the inlet passage 58 and, at the same time, the operating lever of the tube will move against the extending or projecting boss of the valve '16 and will open the valve. Thus, clean or natural rinse fluid is admitted from the inlet conduit 82, through the horizontal bore or passage 12, the apertures in the tube, and pressurized to pass. through the spray pipes and tube, cleaning the glass inside and out from the sterilizing liquid.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described my invention that which I claim as new and desire to procure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receptacle cleansing apparatus comprising a cylindrical housing, a piston operable in said housing defining a low pressure and a high pressure chamber, fluid inlets in said housing, means for admitting a disinfectant into said low pres- I sure chamber, a spray unit swingably mounted on the housing and interposed between the inlets, control valves for said inlets, one of said fluid inlets being in communication with the high pressure chamber, means for establishing communication between another of said inlets and the spray unit and also between the low pressure chamber and the spray unit, and means for closing ofl said last-named communication and establishing communication between the first inlet and the spray unit, said means being selectively actuated by an oscillatory movement of the spray unit.

2. A receptacle cleansing apparatus comprising a housing, a piston operable in the housing defining a high pressure and a low pressure chamber,

.fluid inlets in said housing, a common chamber chamber, means for selectively establishing a communication :between the common chamber and the low pressure chamber and between either of the inlets and the common chamber.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said disinfectant admitting means includes a valved inlet in said housing in communication with the low pressure chamber.

4. The combination of claim .2, wherein said fluid inlets include horizontal bores in said housing, conduits disposed at one end of the bores, said common chamber being interposed between said bores, control valves seated in said bores adjacent the common chamber, means extending into the common chamber from said valves for unseating the valves responsive to an oscillating movement of thespray unit and resilient means for normally biasing said valves into seated placement.

5. The combination of claim 2, and means for closing off the communication between one of the inlets and the high pressure chamber, a drain valve in said high pressure chamber for exhausting the fluid therein, and means for filling said low pressure chamber from the other of said inlets.

6. The combination of claim 5, and means actuated by the piston for indicating the loss of fluid in the low pressure chamber.

7. The combination of claim 2, including a drainage chamber in said housing, a valved passage between said drainage chamber and the common chamber, means for establishing a communication between said chambers upon a decrease of pressure in the common chamber.

8. A receptacle cleansing apparatus comprising r va housing, fluid inlets in said housing, axially aligned control valves for said inlets, a common chamber interposed between said valves, a bearing block mounted on the housing, a spray unit swingably mounted on the block, means carried by said spray unit for selectively actuating said valves and establishing a communication between either of the inlets and the spray unit.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said block includes a central socket, a bearing carried by saidspray unit received in said socket for effecting oscillatory movement of the spray unit.

10. The combination of claim 8, including operating bosses extending inwardly into the common chamber from said valves, a lever on said .spray unit interposed between said bosses for selective engagement. therewith to unseat the valves responsive to movement of the spray unit.

11. A receptacle cleansing apparatus compris- ;ing a housing, a piston operable in said housing defining a low pressure and a high pressure chamber, means for conveying a disinfectant fluid into said low pressure chamber, a spray unit swingably supported on said housing, a connection between the low pressure chamber and the spray unit, means responsive to an oscillatory movement of the spray unit'for establishing a communication through said connection between the low pressure chamber and spray unit, an inlet for fluid under pressure associated with the housing and communicating with the high pressure chamber, means for controlling said communication of the inlet with the high pressure chamber and means for establishing a communication between the inlet and the spray unit. 70 l 12. A receptacle cleaning apparatus comprising a housing, a piston operable in said housing i defining a low pressure chamber and a high pressure chamber, means for admitting a detergent fluid to said low pressure chamber, a spray unit swingably supported on said housing, an inlet for mutate-1 fluid under pressure associated with said: housing and communioatingswith: the high pressure chem:

i ber, a connection between the low pressure unit vand: the spray unit,. means actuated: by a swinging; movement of. the spray unit for: establishing a communication between the lowpressure chamher and: the spray unit whereby the'piston: reacts ti'om between thein'let and: the spray unit;

13*. A receptacle-cleaning apparatus comprising 1 aihousing, a piston operable in said housingiand defining a high pressure chamber anda: low

pressure chamben. an inlet for fluid under pressure associated with the housing and communicatingawiththe highpressurechamber, ma'nsfor admitting'adetergent fluidintosaid; low pressure chamber a spray unit swinga-bly supported: on

saidih'ousing, a connection between the low'pressure-chamber and the spray unit, a v'alveassoelated with said connection: and:actuated':by the spray unit to establish a communication through the? connection between the low: pressure cham- 5 her and: thezspray' unit, conduit means between the inlet and the sprayuniinmeans associated with th'e-conduitmeansandactuated byJthe spray unit? for establishing; communication through the conduit means between" the inlet and the spray 14. A receptacle: cleansing apparatus comprising a. housing; a piston operable'in said housing defining, a low pressure chamber: andta' high pressure: chamber; a? fluid inlet associated: with-said housing and communicating with the: high pressure chamber, a; valved inlet connection associated: with the housing: and communicating with the lowpressure chamber for. admitting: a detergent fluidintosaidiow pressure-chamber; asprayc unit swingably supportedaon the housing, conduit means-2 disposed-between said low pressure chamber: and .ther'spray unit; a valve associated withasaid conduitmeans: and actuatedby the -vspra-y unitl for establishing: communication betweenthe low pressurev chamber and the: spray unit through the ccnduitnmea nsy. a connection between the fluid. inlet and: the:- spray unity. a valve' associated: with said connectionrand actuated 'by thesprayunit/for'establishingicommunicationbetween thespray um't and-fluid inlet;-

A receptacle: cleaning; app'aratusi comprising: a; ho-using anzinlet for" aifluidmnder pressure connected with1thehousing,flmeansi-fonadmitting aedetergent, fluid rinto' said' housing; a .spray un'it supported: onthemnusing, zc'on' duit meansbetween saidihousing: an'dwthe spray-unit; means associated with: said conduit. means: for establishing: communicationbetween:-said!housingzandrspra tunit ing; a housing, a piston; operablezsinr th'e: housing;

, defining -ahigh pressure rand-low pressure cham- 'ber, .an-inlet for; a-fiuidun'der pressure 'as'sociated with said housing. and communicating-;, with-*the high pressure chamber; means for: admitting; a

detergent fluid tok-saidlow pressure chamber; con--' d-uit means between saidilow: pressure chamber and-the spray-unit; controlzmeansassociated with said conduit; means-, said control means. being actuated by theispray unittfor establishing :comnunicatiom bQCWGGH-AHIB'HOW pressure-i chamben and the spray unit whereby the piston is actix'vated by thepressure created in the high pressure chamber to urge the detergent fluid throughthe conduit means, a connection between said fluid inlet and the spray unit, control-means associated with said connection and actuated by said spray unit for establishing selective communication between the inlet andfithe spray unit.

17-. The combination ofclaim 16, wherein said control means are coaxially aligned and are separatedby' a common chamber, said spray unit terminating in an actuating member interposed in said: chamber between the control means and means associated with'saidchamber for draining the same, said means being automatically actuated responsive to a neutral positioning of the actuating member with respect to both of the control means.

18;- A- receptacle cleaning apparatus comprising; a housing; a piston operable in said housing defining a; high pressure and'low pressurechamher, an inlet for a-fluid under pressure associated withthe housing and communicating with the highpressurechamber,means-for admitting a detergent fluidto said lowpress'ure chamber, a spray unit swingably supported on said housing. conduit means connected between said low pressure chamber and the spray unit, control means associated with said conduit means, said control means being actuated by the spray unit for establishing'z communication between the 'sp'ray unit andtlie: low pressure chamber, whereby the low pressure chamber is vented: and the piston rendered reactive-to the'pressure created inth'ehigh pressure: chamber, a connection between i said inlet and spray unit, control means actuated by the sprayunit associated" with the connection, means for indicating the exhausting of the detergent fluid in thelow pressure'chamb'enand means for refilling said low pressure chamber.

19. The combination of claim 18; wnereinsaid last means includesme'an's for closing ofl the communicatibn between the inlet andhigh pressure chamber, adrain valve' f'or said chamber, a second fluid inlet associated with the housing and communicating with the low pressure chamber,

valve means as'sociated with sa'id last" inlet. 7

20: A receptacle cleaning apparatus comprisi'ng a' housing, a piston operable in thehousing' de..

a high pressurechamber and a low pres- '55 inlet for aunder pressure associated with the block chamber and communicatingwith the pressure chamber; control means interposed between the first inle't andthe 'block member, conduit means between the low pressure chamber and-the blockchamber, means for adrnittin-ga.

detergent fiuid intb saidl'o'wpressure chamber, a a

' second fluidinlet ass'ociat'ed with said block chamber, said conduit means communicating .w-ith the second inlet,- control means associated with said secoiid inlet, said last' contr'ol means-beingactuated by' said spra unit; for establishinga communicationbetwee'n the-low-pre'ssure 'chainb'er'and tiiebio'ck cnamberand'between the sec'ond inlet" and' tlie block chamber; s'aidfirst controi means being actuated by'th'e spray unit for establishingcommunication between the first inlet and the block :cnamber-pand dramagemeans for said blockchamberg'said last means being responsiv'e to aineutralpositioningiof the spray uiiit %w1thlresnect ato both'iof the con-trol means;

9 10 21. A receptacle cleaning apparatus comprising a housing, a piston operable in said housing REFERENCES CITED defin a low pre nd a high pressure The following references are of record in the chamber, means for conveying a disinfectant file of th patent; fluid into said low pressure chamber, a spray unit 5 associated with the housing, conduit means be- UNITED STATES PATENTS tween said low pressure chamber and the spray Number Name Date unit, means associated with said conduit means 434,430 Danks Aug. 19, 1890 for establishing a communication through said 851,584 Bundy Apr. 23, 1907 conduit means between the low pressure cham- 10 1,023,630 Elkins Apr. 16, 1912 ber and the spray unit, means for conducting fluid 1,106,430 Weaver Aug. 11, 1914 under pressure to the housing communicating 1,342,485 Wiltsie June 8, 1920 with the high pressure chamber, and means for Tm establishing a direct communication between the FOREIGN PA Ts last mentioned means and spray unit. 5 Number Coun ry Date F WILLIAM BUNCH 109,099 Australia NOV. 13, 1939 

